12 Days of Fitness For Christmas

12 Days of Fitness Exercises For the Holiday Season

Mobility is the foundation of movement. If joint and muscle are stiff, it is often difficult not only to move but also coordinate a series of movements like walking or climbing stairs. If you break down the act of stepping up on a curb with your L leg, you need good range of motion in both ankles and hips. The pelvis also needs to rotate around your hip as you step up. Shoulders and mid back also need mobility to rotate and counterbalance your lower half. As you can see, just the act of stepping or walking successfully not only requires mobility, but coordination and balance. If any of the following exercises are too challenging to complete, it may be time to follow up with a visit to your favorite physical therapy clinic.

Day 1 – Supine Kick

Instructions

Setup

Begin lying on your back with your legs straight.

Movement

Using your hands, slowly pull one knee toward your chest until you feel a gentle stretch in your lower back.

Day 2 – Supine Butterly Groin Stretch

Instructions

Setup

Begin lying on your back with your knees bent and feet resting on the floor.

Movement

Place the soles of your feet together and let your knees drop toward the floor until you feel a stretch in your inner thighs and hold.

Day 3 – Supine Lumbar Rotation Stretch

Instructions

Setup

Begin lying on your back with your legs straight and arms to your sides.

Movement

Bring one knee toward your chest, then lower it to the ground on one side of your body and hold. You should feel a stretch in your lower back and hip.

Day 4 – Sidelying Upper Thoracic Rotation

Instructions

Setup

Begin lying on your side with your knees and hips bent at 90 degree angles, arms straight, and your palms together by your knees.

Movement

Lift your top arm up toward the ceiling and diagonally behind you, rotating your upper trunk. Then slowly return to the starting position and repeat.

Day 5 – Child Pose Stetch

Instructions

Setup

Begin on all fours.

Movement

Sit your hips back while reaching your arms overhead and lowering your chest to the ground. Hold this position.

Day 6 – Cat Camel

Instructions

Setup

Begin on all fours with your arms directly under your shoulders and knees bent 90 degrees.

Movement

Slowly round your back up toward the ceiling, then let it sag down to the floor while looking up, and repeat.

Day 7 – Downward Dog

Instructions

Setup

Begin on all fours.

Movement

Prop your feet up on your toes, then push your body up into an inverted V position with your elbows and knees straight. Hold this position, feeling a stretch through your back and legs.

Day 8 – Pigeon Pose

Instructions

Setup

Begin on all fours.

Movement

Bring one knee up towards your arms and rest the outside of that leg on the ground, with your other leg straight behind you. Bring your trunk forward, with your arms straight on the ground, until you feel a stretch.

Day 9 – Half Kneeling Dorsiflexion Stretch at Wall

Instructions

Setup

Begin in a half- kneeling position with your forward foot a few inches away from the base of a wall.

Movement

Shift your weight forward, pushing your knee toward the wall as far as you can. Hold, then relax and repeat.

Day 10 – Tree Pose

Instructions

Setup

Begin in a standing upright position.

Movement

Slowly slide one foot up your other leg, using your hand to pull it further if necessary. Then bring your palms together into a prayer position in front of your chest and hold.

Day 11 – Warrior 1

Instructions

Setup

Begin in a downward dog position, with your hands and feet flat on the floor.

Movement

Place one foot on the ground between your hands, rotate your back foot 90 degrees, then raise your arms toward the ceiling, keeping your front leg bent and back leg straight. Hold this position.

Day 12 – Warrior II

Instructions

Setup

Begin in a downward dog position, with your hands and feet flat on the floor.

Movement

Place one foot on the ground between your hands, then rotate your back foot 90 degrees. Raise your arms straight toward the ceiling, then lower them to shoulder level, so they are in line with your legs, and keep your head facing forward. Hold this position.

Happy Holidays From Physical Therapy Specialists – Orange County

If any of the following exercises are too challenging to complete, it may be time to follow up with a visit to your favorite physical therapy clinic.

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Physical Therapy Specialists (PTS) is a family owned, multi-disciplined practice. We specialize in orthopedic manual therapy, spine care, sports medicine, pediatrics, and fitness. Founded in 2004, PTS seeks to continually improve the health of the local communities we serve via a passionate commitment to clinical excellence and customer service.